1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a portable terminal such as a cellular phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), an HHP (Hand Held Phone) or the like, and more particularly to a bi-directional sliding-type portable terminal capable of sliding in either direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a “portable communication device” means an electronic device which a user can carry with him/her to perform wireless communication with a desired partner. In consideration of portability, design of such a portable terminal has tended not only toward compactness, slimness and lightness, but also toward providing multimedia capabilities to allow the user to pursue more various functions. In particular, future portable terminals will be not only used for many functions and purposes despite compactness and lightness, but also be modified to be suitable for functioning in a multimedia environment and for providing internet access and functions. Additionally, such portable terminals may be used by men and women, young and old, anywhere in the world.
Conventional portable terminals may be classified into various types according to their appearance, such as bar-type portable terminals, flip-type portable terminals, and folder-type portable terminals. The bar-type portable terminal has a single housing shaped like a bar. The flip-type portable terminal has a flip which is pivotably mounted to a bar-shaped housing by a hinge unit. The folder-type portable terminal has a folder coupled to a single bar-shaped housing by a hinge unit in such a manner that the folder can be rotated in order to be folded to or unfolded from the housing.
Further, portable terminals may be classified as neck wearable type terminals and wrist wearable type terminals, according to the position at or the way in which a user puts on the terminal. The neck wearable type terminal is one which a user wears around the neck using a lanyard or string, while the wrist wearable type terminal is one which a user wears around the wrist.
Additionally, portable terminals may be classified as rotation-type terminals and sliding-type terminals according to ways of opening and closing the terminals. In the rotation-type portable terminal, two housings are coupled to each other in a manner that one housing rotates to be opened or closed relative to the other while facing each other. In the sliding-type portable terminal, two housings are coupled to each other in a manner that one housing slides to be opened or closed relative to the other. The various classifications of portable terminals are easily understood by those skilled in the art.
Further, each of the conventional portable terminals enumerated above has been converted so as to allow a voice communication as well as a high-speed data communication. That is, as consumer demands have increased, various services have been provided using wireless communication technology for transceiving data at a high speed.
It is a present tendency that a camera lens is mounted to the portable terminal, and that it is possible to transmit image signals and the like.
Meanwhile, present portable terminals are provided with an embedded or external camera lens module. Therefore, it is possible to perform image communication with a desired partner or to photograph a desired subject.
However, when the conventional portable terminals are provided with an external camera lens module, the risk is always taken of losing the camera lens module. Further, when the conventional portable terminals are provided with an embedded camera lens module, a lens of the camera lens module is always exposed to an external environment, allowing foreign materials to easily invade and deteriorate the lens, thus deteriorating the quality of photographed images.